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MAA Math Alert - October 2011

News and Views

Ezra Brown's Whirlwind Tour of the Unity of Discrete Math
Read Katharine Merow's recap of Ezra Brown's MAA Distinguished Lecture "The Many Names of (7,3,1) and the Unity of Discrete Mathematics." Full audio of the lecture and an interview with Brown is also available. Article.

The Mathematics Behind Quasicrystals
Dan Shechtman was awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of quasicrystals. Read a bit about the math behind this discovery, which has, says theRoyal Swedish Academy of Sciences, "forced scientists to reconsider their conception of the very nature of matter." Article.

Announcements

Project NExT Openings
The MAA is seeking nominations and applications for two Associate Directors and an additional member of the Project NExT Leadership Team. Announcement.

Tensor SUMMA Program Director Search
MAA is seeking a program director for the MAA Tensor SUMMA (Strengthening Underrepresented Minority Mathematics Achievement) program to succeed Carole Lacampagne, who will complete her term as Director in 2012. Article.

Selden Award Nominations
Nominations for the Annie and John Selden Prize for Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education are due October 31, 2011. Announcement.

Julia Robinson and Hilbert's Tenth Problem
George Csicsery's latest film is now showing on public television stations across the country. Check for airdates and more information. Article.

Pumpkin Carving
It's that time of year again. Start carving your mathematical pumpkins! Think you can do better than Kerry Sullivan's 2010 masterpiece? Snap a photo and send it to editor@maa.org. Check out last year's gallery here.